Category: Films

I love the work of Raymond Briggs! So it is with great joy and glee to read on the Ethel & Ernest blog that there is a trailer for the up and coming film by Lupus films. October 28th is now in the diary and I can’t wait!!!!

Like this:

I’m rather pleased to say that my last three reads are actually books that I’d previously started but never finished.

The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin – I didn’t think I’d read much of this book but a bookmark still in it tells me I had actually gotten almost 100 pages into it! However upon re-reading it I couldn’t remember anything about it at all! On the other hand in the re-read I couldn’t understand why I didn’t finish it first time around! I have the second book in the series on my shelf just waiting to be picked up.

My second read – previously I had only read a chapter or two of this book. On the other hand, I’d seen the series, the film, and listened to the audiobook – so it really was time to pick up the book and read the words for myself. Yes I’m referring to the first in the Karla Trilogy – Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré!

The series and the film follow each other fairly closely. The book was written in 1974 and the series was made in 1979 so period was in keeping with the book. There was one or two small changes made – locations – that when it came to the film they too, kept the places changed – I’m not sure I understand why. On the other hand I did enjoy the book and Alec Guinness was Smiley for me the whole way through.

This had come to my attention last year (or was it the year before?) I couldn’t find it anywhere so in the end I ordered it in the library. Unfortunately for me the mood had passed by the time I’d gotten it. It’s a short read – 85 pages and I only got about 28 pages into it when I had to return it. So when I saw that Penguin had just released it as a Modern Classic this summer, I knew I had to get my hands on it and try it again. Now one habit of mine is to find out how many pages are in a book and figure out where the half way mark is. When I did that here I spotted that the story was signed off as such, as if it were a letter. So that was how I read it – as a letter. I devoured it which I’m rather pleased with as I’m a slow reader. I loved it – I loved that warm summer – slightly struggled with the phonetic accent but that wasn’t the stumbling block that it possibly was last time.

Now I think my next read will be a new purchase but I’m still not entirely sure which.

Like this:

Ok I’ve tried to hold off from being Christmassy but I can’t do it any longer – if I do I think I’ll burst!

Today in work we were talking about Christmas Films – I’ll keep that for another post ’cause Christmas really does make me smile so there’s LOADS to say about it. Anyway back to office chat – the Muppets Christmas Carol was mentioned and after that the songs wouldn’t go away – can you hear it? Does it feel like Christmas?

So I’m now at home playing with iTunes and I have my christmas music split into two – carols (church type music) and songs (chart type). What I love about music is that there’s nearly always a story behind why you like songs – whether it’s because of a person, an event or a place – well for me the first christmas song that I want to post about is Jona Lewie – “Stop The Cavalry” I can’t hear that song without thinking of Dad. Specifically we’re in the car down at the traffic lights in Portmarnock village, we’re waiting for the lights to change, the song is after coming on the radio and he turns it up and we’re singing – Daddy has the same kind of singing voice as Jona Lewie and can hit the deeper notes – me? I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket but that has never stopped me trying 🙂

Now press play and sing “duba-duba-dumdum duba-duba-dum wish I was at home…”

I know it’s mad but in my head I’m still singing it with Dad 😀

Hopefully this will be the first of many posts about all of the glorious things I love about Christmas

Like this:

If you were to ask me what was my favourite cartoon I would have to answer Yogi’s First Christmas! Come December I scour the Radio Times looking for it on the Cartoon Network.

There was a time when I was looking to get it on DVD and all that was to be had was a copy of it that didn’t exactly look official and every once in a while I’ll check to see if there’s been any update on it being released. So while I checked earlier in the year and found nothing, and somehow it managed to slip under my radar – when we were in Tesco this evening I saw it on the telly which could only mean it’s now on DVD.

It’s amazing how fast you can grab a thing off the shelf 🙂 so I’m now the proud owner of my favourite Cartoon on DVD.
I really really really want to watch it right now but I can’t – mainly ’cause I’ve to get up tomorrow to go to work and I wouldn’t fancy having to admit to being tired is due to watching cartoons ’til the wee small hours.

Like this:

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a raging headache. However I had told Mam that I would go with her to the shops so up and out we went. She is making wedding invites for my cousin so we were out looking at various colours for various types of paper. I think she will have her work cut out for her as she couldn’t find the exact stuff she was looking for. Mind you if I know Mam she will fiddle around and come up with something that will turn out to absolutely perfect.
Anyway we’re back from the shops and she is after heading home as my sister & niece are going out to their (mam & dad) house for dinner. My word but the niece fondly called the fairy is now sitting up by herself. Himself yesterday was asking what age are they (babies) when they get hair? She does look a little scarce but it’s thick enough on top and the colour is darkening so at least you can see hair – up ’til now she was really fair and you couldn’t see it from a distance. Can you tell I’m absolutely besotted with her? When I find my wire for the ‘phone I’ll post a picture of her from yesterday.
As for me and the rest of the day? Well I think I’m going to spend most of it stretched out on the sofa. I did loads of work around the house yesterday and between that and the aforementioned headache I don’t see my self doing anything other the watching Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. I think crochet might just aggravate my poor head.
Mind you I’ll have to get dinner started sometime later – himself has had to work today so I get peace & quiet 🙂 Normally we’d go out and have adventures but I’m not really up to it so now I don’t have to be a spoil sport.
Better go as they’ve just kidnapped the girls!

Like this:

Sorry for the disappearance. It seems that February has been an eventful saga. The month started out with himself not feeling well and on his second visit to the doctors he was sent into hospital and there he stayed for several days. It seems to be his appendix but they didn’t take it out as he also has an appendicial mass (big infection) so they were trying to clear that before they go in. So he was packed off home again with painkillers and antibiotics. Hot on the heels of this was an event he was organising in work. He works for a book shop so he had people in for a signing – actually talk about starting at the top – well he had Neil Gaiman in with Amanda Palmer. The place was packed! I think all in all it was a good event although there were wrinkles that need to be ironed out at least next time it will be smaller and folk won’t be as panic stricken as they seemed this time. Oh yes I also forgot to mention we got tickets to see Coraline 3D. That was fun – in the end 3D hurts my eyes a little and I think the film for me lacked that small element of menace. However it is certainly something I’d watch again (non 3D).

The day we went to the cinema we also dropped in to the Cath Kidston shop. OMG! I think I died and went to heaven. It really was one of those shops were you’d just love to have the money that said “I’ll have one of everything please!” I eventually emerged with a laundry bag, a little purse and an oilcloth bag. I wanted to get the bag and everything else was a bonus.

So the Shop & cinema was on Sunday, the signing was on Tuesday so it was busy, busy! On Thursday himself got an email from Nicky in The Vintage Magpie to let him know that the bunnies he bought for me (I don’t have a credit card so I had to use him) would be sent out in the post on Monday. Well I was a cross between a pin ball and a basket ball – bouncing around all over the place and wittering Bunnies! to myself. Yes I’m really looking forward to them.

Speaking of wittering I’ve been twittering like crazy. This is me: mswalsh. Like I said it really is me just wittering – nothing profound I’m just aiming for slightly coherent. After that I’m happy.

I think I’ll leave it there. I still have one or two other things but I’ll mention them later – tonight/tomorrow.